Osteospermum plant named ‘Kakegawa AU2’

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of  Osteospermum fruticosum  (L.) Norl plant named ‘Kakegawa AU2’. This new plant has a suitable form for pot culture and also possesses large red-purple flowers that stay open into the evening hours or under low light conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of the Compositae family. The new variety, a member of the species Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl., named ‘Kakegawa AU2’. This species is one of several species of Osteospermum that are commonly referred to as Cape Daisy.

The new variety originated as a first generation hybrid seedling from a controlled hybridization. This hybridization was done in 1994, at the Sakata Seed Corporation, Chogo Research Station in Chogo Prefecture, Japan. The objective of this breeding program was to develop plants with suitable form for pot culture that also possessed large flowers that would stay open into the evening hours. The flowers of Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl. usually close under low light conditions, such as in the evening.

The female parent of the new variety originated from a breeding population possessing the characteristic of flowers that stayed open under low light conditions. in 1992, ten seedlings were selected from a 150 plant population and randomly intercrossed. In 1993, the first generation progeny from this work was grown out to mature flowering plants. From this generation, breeding line 303 was selected. In 1994, line 303 was used as the female parent in a hybridization with breeding line B-27. The first generation hybrid seedlings from this cross were grown out to mature flowering plants and line G6-815 was selected for its pink and white petal coloration and flowers that stayed open in low light conditions. For three successive years G6-815 was asexually reproduced, grown to maturity and evaluated for stability and trait desirability. In 1998, G6-815 was given the name ‘Kakegawa AU2’. Since this time the new variety has been trialed and vegetatively propagated at the Sakata Seed Corporation facility in Salinas, Calif. The new variety has been stable and fixed in this environment also.

The new variety has been observed under greenhouse and outdoor conditions in California and Japan. The phenotype of the new plant may vary somewhat with variations in temperature, day length, light intensity or soil media conditions. The observations noted below have been using multiple 8 month old plants grown in Salinas, Calif. under the following conditions. Shoot tips were rooted in soil plug trays in August. After developing a root ball the plants were transplanted into six-inch diameter pots and grown outdoors through the winter to provide vernalization for flowering. In December, buds were pinched off to promote branching. Winter night temperatures averaged 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. By May of the following year the plants were in full bloom. Average summer daytime temperatures in Salinas range from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit depending on the month and the amount of coastal marine layer cloud cover.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the appearance the new variety, ‘Kakegawa AU2’. The colors are represented as true as possible using conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 is a close-up view of multiple blooms illustrating the color and color patterns at the base and tips of the petals.

FIG. 2 is a view of the entire plant showing its form in pot culture when in full bloom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following traits and characteristics describe the new variety. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), published by The Royal Horticultural Society of London, England, except where general terms of ordinary significance are used.

Classification:

Family.—Compositae (Asteraceae).

Genus and species.—Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl.

Common names.—African Daisy, Cape Daisy, Freeway Daisy.

Cultivar name.—‘Kakegawa AU2’.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Line 303 (not patented).

Male parent.—Line B-27 (not patented).

Growth:

Habit.—Vigorous, well branched.

Life cycle.—Perennial.

Plant description:

Height.—31 cm to 35 cm.

Width.—40 cm to 50 cm.

Form.—Upright.

Lastingness of florescence.—7 days.

Stems:

Stem color.—RHS 144A (yellow-green).

Stem description.—Strong, erect, herbaceous, glabrous.

Stem diameter.—3 mm to 4 mm.

Internode length.—0.8 cm to 1.0 cm.

Leaves:

Leaf arrangement.—Alternate; sessile.

Leaf apex.—Mucronate.

Leaf base.—Oblique.

Leaf color.—Upper RHS 137A (green); lower RHS 137D (green).

Leaf edge.—Slightly serrated.

Leaf shape.—Lanceolate.

Leaf venation.—Pinnate.

Flowers:

Phyllaries.—Arrangement — symmetrical; length 10 mm; width 2 mm; shape linear; apex acute; margin entire; texture pubescent; upper color RHS 137D (green); lower color RHS 138C (green).

Corolla.—Free.

Flower diameter.—5.5 cm to 6.0 cm.

Flowering habit.—Determinate.

Fragrance.—None.

Inflorescence type.—Solitary on terminal peduncles.

Ovary.—Inferior.

Peduncle.—Texture pubescent; length 5-10 cm; diameter 0.2 cm; color RHS 143C (green).

Bud.—Shape round, pointed at the top; length 1 cm; width 1 cm; color RHS 143C (green).

Ray floret shape.—Spatulate; apex obtuse; margin entire.

Ray floret color.—Dorsal surface of ray florets are RHS 70B (red-purple) with RHS 155C (white) base; ventral surface of ray florets is RHS 71A (red-purple); disk florets is RHS 89C (violet-purple).

Ray floret size.—2.5 cm to 3.0 cm in length; 0.8 cm in width.

Ray floret number.—17 to 18.

Disc floret shape.—Tubular.

Disc floret size.—5.0×0.5 mm.

Disc floret number.—55 per head.

Propagation to bloom.—18 to 20 weeks when rooted vegetative cuttings are transferred to a six-inch diameter pot in late Fall and given several weeks of below 50 degree Fahrenheit temperature prior to increasingly warmer spring weather.

Reproductive organ:

Stigma.—RHS N92A (violet-blue).

Style.—RHS 155D (white).

Anther.—RHS N92 (violet-blue).

Filament.—RHS 155D (white).

Pollen color.—RHS 23B (yellow-orange).

Fruit and seed.—Not produced.

DISEASE AND INSECT RESISTANCE

No known susceptibility to diseases or insects have been observed to date.

COMPARISON WITH OTHER KNOW VARIETIES

The closest known variety to ‘Kakegawa AU2’ is the variety ‘Seaside’, a plant described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,782. The following table compares the differences that distinguish the new variety from the similar variety ‘Seaside’.

Characteristic ’Kakegawa AU2' ’Seaside' Ray floret color RHS 70B (red-purple) RHS 73B (red purple) (dorsal) with RHS 155C (white) with RHS 155C base base Length of white color 1.0 cm 0.5 cm in petal from base to red-purple color 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct plant the Compositae family, Osteospermum fruticosum (L.) Norl., herein referred to by the name ‘Kakegawa AU2’, as 